Michelina Risbeck: “The Art of Body Movement”
Michelina Risbeck (BFA 2016) recently launched The Art of Body Movement, a blog focused on how artists have used the body in motion since the rise of performance art in the 1960s.
In everyday life the subconscious movements of our body emanate non-verbal body expressions. If one observes these movements, the message expressed naturally from the body can be powerful. If this powerful body message can occur naturally without purpose then think of the possibilities when the body is consciously used in art. It can be seen through art performances, dance, music videos, photography, and so on.
The body. The body is a vessel for our souls that carries us through time and space. We function through the mechanical structure of our anatomy, survive from our logical thinking, but we thrive through the emotional connection of our mind and heart.
Motion. Motion propels us in a given direction. Motion can be seen everywhere from a waterfall surrendering to gravity or an airplane shooting towards the clouds. However, when motion and the body become one there’s a chemistry that ignites a powerful captivating connection.
Art. Art allows our minds to see a topic from a unique perspective. Art highlights what the artists feels needs to be shown and discussed. The body in motion is one of the strongest mediums to express such topics due to its prominent attention grabbing approach.
As a graduate from the University of Michigan in 2016 earning my BFA in Art & Design, my goal is to expose an interpret the many outlets of the body being expressed through motion in an artistic sense. How has the body in motion been previously used in art? What can we gain from understanding the body in an artistic setting through motion? What greater purpose does this concept serve for the greater public? These questions and more will be explored in my blog postings through artists that lead us closer to discovering the true power of the body in motion.